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Alcona County, Michigan

28 topographic sheets cover 23 settlements here, and 1 property is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

1 National Register listing published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Michigan within the United States
Alcona County within Michigan

What the record shows

  • 233 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 1 property here is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a building.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 23 populated places in this county; 23 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

1

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Sturgeon Point Light Stationbuilding198484001370

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

437 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 437 of them, burning about 1,898 acres. 15 started naturally and 23 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning141
Missing data/not specified/undetermined89
Equipment and vehicle use57
Recreation and ceremony43
Power generation/transmission/distribution34
Arson/incendiarism23
Natural15
Smoking14
Misuse of fire by a minor8
Other causes6
Fireworks6
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Three of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 May 2015Arson/incendiarism472 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestUNHAPPY CAMPER
30 April 1999Recreation and ceremony239 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestUNHAPPY CAMPER
4 June 2003Arson/incendiarism98 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestASPEN ALLEY #1
25 March 1995Equipment and vehicle use85 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
2 May 2013Debris and open burning54 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestQUICK ROAD
28 April 2003Arson/incendiarism51 acresHuron-Manistee National ForestMCKINLEY
20 March 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined40 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesALCONA 02 - WALKER
17 April 1994Equipment and vehicle use30 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1953 to 2025

60 of 137 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 137 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 1 injury and about $5,916,780 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind63
Hail57
Tornado12
Flash Flood3
Flood2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2001Thunderstorm WindCurtisville1 hurt, $2,000Thunderstorm downed several trees. One truck had its windshield broken by flying debris and a female passenger in the truck was injured.
March 1991Tornado (F3)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
March 1991Tornado (F3)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
July 1999Tornado (F1)Barton City$250,000Continuation of Oscoda County tornado. Hundreds of trees down and 16 homes damaged.
June 1953Tornado (F3)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2008Flash FloodHarrisville Arpt$100,000Several rounds of slow-moving thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across far southern Alcona County. Radar estimated three to six inches of rainfall in Mikado and Greenbush Townships. Flash flooding occurred on Grey and Roy Creeks, washing out several driveways and side roads, and closing parts of Alvin, Goddard, and London Roads.
June 2008Tornado (EF1)Backus Beach$50,000EF1 tornado, with winds estimated up to 100 mph. Tornado tracked through a heavily forested area, downing many trees west of Mount Maria Road, east of Consolidated Road, and north of the West Branch River.
July 2017Flash FloodLincoln$40,000Two separate rain gauges in the Lincoln area measured around seven inches of rain in a three-hour period. Numerous roads in the Lincoln area were inundated and closed for part of the evening, including Gehres and Barlow Roads. A number of basements were flooded.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindBackus Beach$25,000Delayed report including images of over two dozen trees uprooted on the east side of Hubbard Lake. Some had fallen on homes.
June 1992Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1954Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
July 2013Thunderstorm WindBarton City$24,000Several trees were downed onto homes, and power outages were widespread.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindMc Ginn$15,000A camper was blown open, and an outbuilding had its roof torn off.
October 2007Tornado (EF1)Mc Ginn$15,000This is the 2nd segment of a tornado that originated near McCollum Lake in Oscoda County. The damage path was sporadic in Alcona County, as the parent storm raced to the northeast. Damage was confined to trees in Alcona County. Winds were estimated at 105 mph, making it an EF1.
July 2008Flash FloodBackus Beach$10,000Radar estimated three to five inches of rain fell during the late afternoon hours in the northern third of Alcona County. Mount Maria Road was flooded near the south end of Hubbard Lake. Hubbard Lake Road also went underwater, between Lake Street and Pine Grove Shores, as well as near Swede Road.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindCurtisville$10,000Large tree downed at a campground, falling onto a camper trailer. Power lost in part of campground.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindBlack River$7,500At least five 12-18 inch size trees down on the property due to strong winds. Minor damage was done to one building as one tree fell against it.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindMikado$7,000Two blue spruce trees were downed, and shingles were torn off of a roof.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindGlennie$7,000Numerous trees and power lines were downed.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindGreenbush$6,000Multiple trees were downed on South Poor Farm Road.
November 2013Thunderstorm WindBarton City$6,000Scattered trees were downed in central Alcona County.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindHarrisville Arpt$5,000Multiple trees were knocked down, resulting in a localized power outage.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindHarrisville Arpt$5,000Scattered trees were downed in eastern Alcona County.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindCurran$5,000Trees and power lines downed at intersection of M-65 and Hubbard Lake Trail.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindGlennie$4,000Numerous trees were downed.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindMc Ginn$4,000Several trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindCurran$3,000Trees and power lines downed.
July 1967Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
July 1956Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
June 2007Thunderstorm WindBarton City$2,000Trees and power lines were downed near the intersection of O'Donnell Road and M-72.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindGlennie$2,000Tree downed onto power lines.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindSpruce$2,000Trees were downed near Spruce Road and F-41.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindHarrisville$2,000Trees were knocked down at Everett and Trask Lake Roads.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindHarrisville$2,000A large tree and some power lines were downed by wind.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindMikado$1,000Power lines were downed in Mikado.
July 1953Tornado (F0)not stated$250no account filed
March 1976Tornado (F2)not stated$30no account filed
August 2025HailSpruce-Multiple reports of hailstones up to the size of ping pong balls around the Hubbard Lake area in northern Alcona county.
August 2025HailLost Lake Woods-Reports of quarter size hail in the Long Lake Woods area in central Alcona county.
May 2025HailGreenbush-A short burst of hail for about 5 minutes, resulting in hail up to the size of nickels near Greenbush in Alcona county. Most hail stones were one-half inch diameter or smaller.
July 2018HailMikado-Quarter sized hail damaged gardens in the area.
April 2011HailLost Lake Woods-Hail covered the ground.
June 2008HailBackus Beach-Quarter sized hail covered the ground up to six inches deep.
June 2008FloodMikado-High water from earlier flash flooding lingered on a number of roads, especially along Roy and Grey Creeks.
July 2008FloodSpruce-Flooding lingered in the Hubbard Lake area through the night. A few additional thunderstorms moved through the region, with radar estimates topping out at four to eight inches of rain during the afternoon and night of the 17th.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindLincoln-Wind gust estimated by a spotter.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindGlennie-Trees were downed.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindMikado-Trees were downed.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindGlennie-Several trees were downed.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindHarrisville-Numerous tree limbs downed.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindSpruce-Several trees down.
September 2002Thunderstorm WindGlennie-Numerous trees down.
September 2002Thunderstorm WindHarrisville-Telephone pole blown over and several large branches down.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindBlack River-Several trees and power lines down.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindHarrisville-Trees down.
May 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide-Trees and power lines were blown down over portions of the entire county.
September 1998Thunderstorm WindLincoln-Numerous trees snapped off and/or uprooted. Many powerlines down.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindGlennie-Strong straight-line winds downed numerous trees of up to 8 - 12" in diameter in Glennie Park. One mobile home was destroyed by a falling tree.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindGlennie-Strong winds downed trees along routes M-65...M-72 and F-30.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindMikado-Strong thunderstorm winds toppled numerous trees south of Mikado.

Mines and quarries

6 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 6 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 3 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction5
Clay1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Unnamed Clay PitClayPast Producer
Greenbush Pit &MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Slater No 1 Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
State Pit # 132Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
State Pit # 414Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
State Pit #232Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

23

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.